Alex Darocy Photography

The Freedom Sleepers celebrated their one-year anniversary together on July 5 with a march through downtown Santa Cruz, and then an outdoor movie screening at Santa Cruz City Hall. The Freedom Sleepers have been sleeping for one night a week at city hall since July 4, 2015 to protest local laws that criminalize homelessness. Their primary demand has been for a repeal of the city's camping ban, which prohibits sleeping in public, with or without bedding, between the hours of 11pm and 8:30am. The camping ban also prohibits sleeping in cars. The Freedom Sleepers watch "Blazing Saddles" during the anniversary sleepout The march was lively and drew quite a bit of attention from onlookers downtown. One passerby agreed with the group's message after hearing their loud protest chants opposing the "sleeping" ban, which is how many homeless activists refer to the illegal camping ordinance. "That's right," she exclaimed loudly. "Sleeping should...

On July 4, community members returned to Ocean Street to greet holiday visitors with anti-war messages and other statements in support of peace, justice, and freedom at the annual Independence Day rally in Santa Cruz. Anti-war groups have demonstrated for many years at the corner of Ocean and Water, as the 4th of July brings thousands of tourists to the city of Santa Cruz, filling Ocean Street with bumper to bumper traffic. In addition to anti-war messages, protest signs were displayed denouncing solitary confinement, among other topics, and this year saw quite a few individuals showing support for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

The Freedom Sleepers have defied the odds by reaching summer time and continuing to organize sleepouts at Santa Cruz City Hall. Since July 4 of 2015 they have been sleeping at city hall once a week to protest local laws that criminalize homelessness. The 50th community sleepout on June 21 saw a large increase in participation, with over 30 people sleeping in front of city hall. As warm and comfortable as the day time hours have been, however, several participants at the 51st community sleepout held on June 28 commented that the late night hours in downtown Santa Cruz were cold and difficult to naviagte without a home. The next event planned by the Freedom Sleepers is their one-year anniversary sleepout, which will be held on July 5. Beyond that, some recent comments made by organizers suggest the weekly sleepouts will be continuing for some time to come. A Freedom Sleeper constructed a small shelter out of cardboard to sleep in at the 51st community sleepout held on June 28 So...

On June 14, the Freedom Sleepers held their 49th community sleepout at Santa Cruz City Hall, with about two dozen people spending the night. As summer approaches, attendance has continued to increase at the weekly sleepouts, which are organized to protest local laws that criminalize homelessness. The 50th community sleepout is planned for Tuesday, June 21, and the Freedom Sleepers have announced their one-year anniversary sleepout will be held on July 5. A Freedom Sleeper in front of Santa Cruz City Hall at community sleepout #47 on June 1 The community sleepouts in Santa Cruz were initiated on July 4, 2015 by a coalition of unhoused and housed activists. Organizations participating in the sleep protests have included Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs, Homeless United for Friendship and Freedom (HUFF), Santa Cruz Homeless Persons Legal Assistance Project, Santa Cruz Homeless Depot Shelter, Homeless Advocacy & Action Coalition, and Housing NOW Santa Cruz. Through the course of the p...